Hebron

Hebron is located southwest of Jerusalem and Bethlehem on the main road to Beersheba. Although in a shallow valley, it's actually 3,000 feet (915 meters) above sea level, and 4,300 feet (1,310 meters) above the nearby Dead Sea. Hebron has been the scene of many important events of Bible History.

Hebron is one of the world's most ancient cities. It was built "seven years before Zoan in Egypt" (Numbers 13:22, Genesis 13:18). It was also known as Kiriath Arba (Genesis 23:2).

Abram (lated renamed by God as Abraham) made his home near Hebron (Genesis 13:18). It was there, upon the death of his wife Sarah, that he purchased a burial cave (Genesis 23:17-20) that today is known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs - Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob/Israel and Leah are all buried there.

Not long after the Israelites entered the Promised Land from their Wilderness Journey, it was taken by Joshua (Joshua 10:36-37) and given to Caleb (Joshua 14:13-14). It became a Levitical city (see Levites), and a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7, 21:11) (see Cities Of Refuge).

Hebron was royal residence of King David when he was king of Judah (2 Samuel 5:5), and it was in Hebron that he was later anointed as king over all Israel.

The Edomites took Hebron about the same time that the Babylonians (see Why Babylon?) under King Nebuchadnezzar burned Jerusalem in 587 B.C. It was not retaken by Jews until Judas Maccabeus in 164 B.C. Although Herod The Great apparently was active in building in the city, Hebron is not mentioned in The New Testament.

Fact Finder: How long did King David reign over Judah in Hebron?
2 Samuel 5:5